06/12/06 Dairy permit deadline; CWT meetings

The Idaho Departments of Agriculture and Environmental Quality have established rules with the Idaho dairy industry on ammonia emissions. In resolving an air quality dairy lawsuit federal judge Lynn Winmill required some Idaho dairies to seek a PTC, a permit to construct. Idaho Dairymen's Association Executive Director Bob Naerebout says the agreement applies to free stall flush operations in excess of 1,650 animals, free stall scrape/vacuum with more than 2500 animals and open lots in excess of 4500 animals. NAEREBOUT "Effective July One 52 dairies in Idaho will be regulated under the Clean Air Act and will need to get a PTC." All future dairies exceeding the size threshold will be required to have the air quality permit. The dairymen's association is co-sponsoring two separate meetings for producers who want to participate in the CWT program. The CWT Committee voted in March to double the assessment from five to ten cents per hundredweight in an attempt to increase the lower milk prices producers are getting. The Nampa dinner meeting Thursday night and the Twin Falls luncheon meeting Friday will give producers a chance to hear about the impact of the Herd Retirement Program from the past winter and what's ahead for the future. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott